Staff report: New Buffalo zoning, active-transportation website, AI traffic counters and Right-to-Know requests

County planning staff summarized several program updates during the staff-report portion of the meeting: continuing help to New Buffalo Borough on zoning and discussions about a possible joint municipal zoning ordinance; a regional active-transportation plan with a public-facing website; new AI-equipped video traffic counters purchased for traffic-counting and classification work; and an increase in Right-to-Know requests concerning former commercial properties and potential underground storage tanks.

Staff said New Buffalo Borough is still working through whether a joint municipal zoning arrangement would be preferable to establishing a local zoning hearing board and planning commission. The regional active-transportation plan was described as moving toward adoption in September, and the active-transportation website is live for public review.

On traffic counting, staff described the county’s new equipment as pole-mounted video counters with artificial-intelligence classification capabilities that replace legacy pneumatic hose counters; staff noted the equipment is more expensive and will likely be insured. Staff also reported Right-to-Know requests are becoming more frequent—on some years the county sees roughly 20 requests—and many recent requests concern historic commercial sites and possible underground storage tanks; in those cases staff said the county often refers requesters to the state Department of Environmental Protection or the county EMA because county review records are limited for older underground tanks.

Commissioners asked about how request frequency affects staff workload and whether consultants commonly perform Phase I environmental reviews. Staff said consultants use historical aerials and regulatory data to identify areas of concern and that the county has begun logging requests to track workload.